Royal Princess mini review

Had a wonderful cruise the week of December 8 on the Royal Princess. For those on the fence about cruising the Royal, I found her to be a lovely ship. Here is a mini review (no info on ports, etc).

http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=247543

This ship sure draws a lot of controversy. So please remember that these are my impressions based only on my sailing.

For those CC members I got to meet on board, it was a pleasure. I didn't realize the M&G time had changed, so I missed some of you.

thanks……

sue

Thanks for the great review! I'm sailing on her for the first time this April on the TA, so I'm still very interested in the ship. So many different thoughts on the CC boards and it's nice to see one that is from a first time Royal cruiser who had a great time on a fun ship. Thanks!

Thanks so much for the great review.

I had a great time on her, too. A few little nit picks here and there, but nothing to detract from the overall experience. Travelling on her again in the Spring.

Enjoyed your review. Thinking of doing our 3rd Christmas cruise on the Royal.

Enjoyed your review and thank you for your observations. The next two months can't go fast enough for us.:D

Thanks for the review.

Sue, wonderful review, it makes me look forward to my upcoming cruise even more now.:D

All of you with upcoming cruises, you are in for a treat! I am happy to hear all of your plans.

Enjoy. . .

sue

Wonderful review! Glad to hear you enjoyed the angled balcony. We have a Dolphin extended, cabin 428, booked for March. Sounds like it will seat the four of us for coffee in the morning. Thanks for the review.

Thanks for the review. I haven't read many of the reviews instead glance over them. Your comment on the staircase really got my attention and support my feelings. I am used to resorts and hotels so not having a staircase in the middle would not be a factor or consideration. I chose this ship because it was different, so I intend to enjoy the difference, 2/16. The fact the ship is designed differntly and take away the familar feeling many Princess cruisers love, would create some discord.

I am looking forward to the difference and many more to come from Princess.

Thanks for the review. I haven't read many of the reviews instead glance over them. Your comment on the staircase really got my attention and support my feelings. I am used to resorts and hotels so not having a staircase in the middle would not be a factor or consideration….

I chose this ship because it was different, so I intend to enjoy the difference, 2/16. The fact the ship is designed differntly and take away the familar feeling many Princess cruisers love, would create some discord.

 

I am looking forward to the difference and many more to come from Princess.

Oh Lucky you - you will have a great time next month!

I know, as I was listing my pre-cruise hotel on the review, it occurred to me that I had a much longer wait for the elevator in the hotel, than I ever had to wait for an elevator on the Royal! But still, I was on vacation, and wouldn't let a few minutes here or there diminish my fun.

Enjoy…

Oh Lucky you - you will have a great time next month!

 

I know, as I was listing my pre-cruise hotel on the review, it occurred to me that I had a much longer wait for the elevator in the hotel, than I ever had to wait for an elevator on the Royal! But still, I was on vacation, and wouldn't let a few minutes here or there diminish my fun.

 

Enjoy…

I am excited and wish I could learn more about the ship but don't want to spend my time reading how this is different from all the rest but in t negative way. There is really no all the rest since most of the other ships are the same. I am working my butt off to get into a dress to wear on formal night.

I cruised the Royal about a month ago. I thought the ship was awesome.

I would rank it as one of my favorite ships I've been on. After reading

All those bad reviews of the ship, I wonder if they really have cruised

The same ship. The ship is just stunning. The food was excellent. No

Lines at all in the Horizon Court. And the variety of food in the Horizon

Court is excellent. Especially breakfast. After cruising Carnival the last

Few cruises, I especially enjoyed all the "live" music on board. I can't

Wait to sail the Royal Princess Again.

What deck were you on you failed to mention?

What time did your group show up for the shows in the theater, what time was your diner seating.

Never had issues with the center elevators?

What deck were you on you failed to mention?

What time did your group show up for the shows in the theater, what time was your diner seating.

Never had issues with the center elevators?

Hi, we were on Dolphin, deck 9, port side, midship.

No issue with response time on elevators, no. Never had to wait for more than a couple of minutes. I've had much worse response in hotels! We were stuck for a few minutes in an elevator on deck 7' (other passengers freed us from the outside) but as soon as we reported it, they walked with us to identify which of the elevators, and quickly took it out of service. But the other elevators kept up with the demand as far as I could observe. A funny note, though, the first few days a full elevator in the piazza would have doors closed, and then continue to reopen as other passengers in the lobby were selecting the Up button before it actually left the deck. I heard passengers after that call out to those in the Lobby and remind them to "Wait to press the Up Button". We all laughed in the elevator, but that little reminder worked. Oh wait, embarkation time was bad....but isn't always? Excited passengers all in one place. After that I really found no issues.

We had 8:15 assigned dining in Concerto.

I don't remember what time we arrived for the shows. I remember it was a packed house when it was show time, though. For Beatlemanics we did head there 30 minutes before, and it was very full. We found seats on the upper level then. Oh, and if Carlos Oscar is scheduled in the Vista Lounge -- get there early. He had quite a following, and that venue filled up quick!

Dave posted patters in his Bon Voyage DWMC1959 thread. I was on his 2nd week, so if you check his posts you'll have a good idea of the show times.

I cruised the Royal about a month ago. I thought the ship was awesome.

I would rank it as one of my favorite ships I've been on. After reading

All those bad reviews of the ship, I wonder if they really have cruised

The same ship. The ship is just stunning. The food was excellent. No

Lines at all in the Horizon Court. And the variety of food in the Horizon

Court is excellent. Especially breakfast. After cruising Carnival the last

Few cruises, I especially enjoyed all the "live" music on board. I can't

Wait to sail the Royal Princess Again.

Hi, JP, I was on your sailing! Missed meeting you at our roll call M&G as my sister and I came in late...didn't know time had changed.

I concur on favorite ship (well, I think it ties with Disney Magic for me, loved both of them for different reasons). Glad you added your impressions here too. I heard all good things from passengers on our sailing!

sue

Thanks for the great review! I'm sailing on her for the first time this April on the TA, so I'm still very interested in the ship. So many different thoughts on the CC boards and it's nice to see one that is from a first time Royal cruiser who had a great time on a fun ship. Thanks!

Same here. We went back and forth about whether to do the Ruby (been on her 4 times, 3 of them just in past 3 months) or the Royal, both of which sail on 4/27. We ultimately decided to sail on the Royal, and booked a large inside midship Cat IA cabin. So balcony size is not an issue for us, and if we get an upgrade, we'll be happy to have whatever balcony we get. Hope Carlos Oscar is on board for some of the TA. He is the best comedian they have.

Hi, we were on Dolphin, deck 9, port side, midship.

 

No issue with response time on elevators, no. Never had to wait for more than a couple of minutes. I've had much worse response in hotels! We were stuck for a few minutes in an elevator on deck 7' (other passengers freed us from the outside) but as soon as we reported it, they walked with us to identify which of the elevators, and quickly took it out of service. But the other elevators kept up with the demand as far as I could observe. A funny note, though, the first few days a full elevator in the piazza would have doors closed, and then continue to reopen as other passengers in the lobby were selecting the Up button before it actually left the deck. I heard passengers after that call out to those in the Lobby and remind them to "Wait to press the Up Button". We all laughed in the elevator, but that little reminder worked. Oh wait, embarkation time was bad....but isn't always? Excited passengers all in one place. After that I really found no issues.

 

We had 8:15 assigned dining in Concerto.

 

I don't remember what time we arrived for the shows. I remember it was a packed house when it was show time, though. For Beatlemanics we did head there 30 minutes before, and it was very full. We found seats on the upper level then. Oh, and if Carlos Oscar is scheduled in the Vista Lounge -- get there early. He had quite a following, and that venue filled up quick!

 

Dave posted patters in his Bon Voyage DWMC1959 thread. I was on his 2nd week, so if you check his posts you'll have a good idea of the show times.

Thank you for your response. In insightful and helpful.

Nice review.

Thanks so much for your review! :)

We're planning to book Royal in 2015 for a 20 night.

LuLu

~~~~

Thanks so much for your review! :)

 

We're planning to book Royal in 2015 for a 20 night.

 

LuLu

~~~~

Oh, sounds great! Hope you love the ship as much as I did.

Sue

Hi Sue,

THANK YOU for sharing your personal experiences aboard Royal Princess, and it was a pleasure meeting you and your sister Connie. I'm glad you had such a nice time on the ship! :D

Hi Sue,

 

THANK YOU for sharing your personal experiences aboard Royal Princess, and it was a pleasure meeting you and your sister Connie. I'm glad you had such a nice time on the ship! :D

Hi, Dave, and was surely a pleasure meeting you too!

I'm glad You shared your wonderful pictures on Cruise Critic, and Carib his enchanting video, because I just don't have much in the way of photography skills… and that's the truth.

I'll be seeing you next year! I also was lucky enough to have booked one of those amazingly cheap single occupancy inside cabins on the Pacific Princess (repositioning to Vancouver in 2015). I'm hoping to continue on with an Alaska cruise following.

sue

Wonderful review! Glad to hear you enjoyed the angled balcony. We have a Dolphin extended, cabin 428, booked for March. Sounds like it will seat the four of us for coffee in the morning. Thanks for the review.

Hi, my cabin was right next to the one you have booked! Just over the divider at the longest point of your balcony. Yes, you will have plenty of room, but there are only chairs for 2 on the balcony. You will love it! With the weather you have, you must be ready to leave Michigan for the warm Caribbean already!

MaryAnne should be your cabin steward. She is marvelous, and a kind person. Tell her Susan and Connie said hi!

enjoy,

sue